Discuss Time Study Procedure in detail.
Answers
Time study is a structured process of directly observing and measuring human work using a timing device to establish the time required for completion of the work by a qualified worker when working at a defined level of performance.
For conducting time study, average workers and average machines are selected. This study is conducted by the Time Study expert, who should be familiar with all information’s related to the job and the conditions in which it is being done. The location of the expert should be such that he can watch all the operations and the movement of the workers without disturbing them from suitable distance.
He performs time study in the following stages:
(a) Analysis of Work:
The complete job and its operations are split up into various elements. These elements are finalised after conducting motion study. In the end, time required for the job preparation, cleaning of machine and oiling etc. should be included. Thus time study includes all the tasks performed by the worker and not only the effective work.
(b) Standardisation of Methods:
Before conducting time-study, all the constituents of the job such as materials, equipment, tools, working conditions and methods are standardised. The method should be easy, safe and quickest in the given conditions, so that it can be accepted by workers.
Standard Time:
It is the time, which is taken by a normal worker for a specific task or job, working under moderate conditions and includes other allowances such as fatigue, setting of tool and job, repairing of tool, checking of job etc.
Rating Factor:
Time study engineer multiplies actual time with a factor known as “Rating Factor” or “Levelling Factor” to get the average time which a normal worker would take. This is expressed as a percentage of the efficiency of representative operator, which indicates how efficient an operator is in comparison to some of his average fellow workers.